The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 23 April 2026
Daily Fountain Devotional 23 April 2026 TOPIC: Lord, Be My Guardian And Guide
SCRIPTURE READING: Exodus 14:1-12
1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baalzephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea.
3 For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.
4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord. And they did so.
5 And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?
6 And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him:
7 And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them.
8 And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand.
9 But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon.
10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the Lord.
11 And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?
12 Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.
TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE:
God led His people through the route of the Red Sea for a purpose. Note that they were camped and resting when they sighted the Egyptian army pursuing them. They were hedged in by the sea, with Pharaoh and his military might coming after them through the only land route of escape. Pharaoh and his people had a change of mind after the Israelites departed. Pharaoh therefore gathered a great army of 600 choice chariots with captains over them, and pursued them.
Naturally, the children of Israel were alarmed at the sight of the Egyptian army, and cried out to the Lord and said to Moses,”… becase there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why haveyou so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt?…” They forgot that the God of the Passover was still their guardian and guide follow Him(Psa.48:14).
A hymn writer says, ‘Follow, Follow, Iwill follow Jesus…. everywhere He leads me I will follow Him.’ Sometimes, the path may seem crooked and rough, but do not turn back; keep trusting that He has a good plan for your life and would not leave you stranded. Instead of murmuring and complaining, be thankful.
PRAYER OF THE DAY: Dear Lord, be thou my Guardian and my Guide, and always hear when Icall for your help. Amen.